Oh, forgot to also check: You must have been in the UK exactly 3 years to the date that the Home Office receives your application, yes? So if you're applying through NCS, is the appointment date the one you have to go by? Or do you add on one day for the application to be posted? Say, if I had an appointment 15 Aug 2015, then I must not have been out of the UK on 15 Aug 2012?
(actually, looking at my travel records, it doesn't appear I left the UK at all in 2012...I had trips abroad in 2011, 2013, and 2014... so I guess any day I apply in 2015 is okay as three years goes back to 2012?)